State ranks 13th in country in abortions, CDC says

Posted on Thursday, September 6, 2012 at 6:01 pm

By IAN SKOTTE

Staff Writer

Wednesday marked the 12-year anniversary of the Planned Parenthood of Middle Tennessee v. Sundquist ruling by Tennessee’s Supreme Court, which reaffirmed the right to privacy found in the Tennessee Constitution.

The suit was originally filed in 1992 against the state, challenging its restrictive abortion statute.

According to the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee, the court said that “a woman’s right to terminate her pregnancy is a vital part of the right to privacy guaranteed by the Tennessee Constitution” and affirmed greater privacy protections under the state constitution.”

But according to Tennessee’s Right to Life president Brian Harris, the ruling pushed through the most extreme pro-abortion policies of any state.

“Common sense policies such as informed consent for women considering abortion and the regulation of abortion facilities are enforced in our neighboring states but not in Tennessee,” said Harris. “Advocates on both sides of the abortion question recognize that without basic safeguards, Tennessee has become a destination for women across the southeast seeking unregulated abortion on demand.”

14 percent of

pregnancies in state end in abortion

According to the Tennessee Department of Health, 14 percent of pregnancies in the state ended in abortion in the five-year period between 2006-2010.

More than 67,000 abortions were performed in Tennessee compared to 417,000 births during that time period. Statistics show the largest percentage of abortions occurred in girl’s ages 10-14, with 33 percent of those pregnancies ending in abortion.

The Tennessee Department of Health released figures that break down the total number of abortions performed by age and race.

According to the state’s figures, women ages 20-24 (from 2006-2010) had the highest number of abortions. More than 22,000 abortions were performed in this age group. It should be noted this age group also had the highest number of births.

Tennessee ranks 13th (excluding California) when it comes to abortions. Neighboring state North Carolina has a higher abortion rate, and Alabama and Kentucky aren’t far behind Tennessee.

According to Steven Emmert, chief operating officer with Planned Parenthood of Middle and East Tennessee, there will always be a need for abortion services due to unavoidable circumstances.

Planned Parenthood, Emmert noted, is committed to ensuring that women have access to safe abortion services.

“At the same time, we work everyday to help women avoid unintended pregnancies with the help of preventative health care services, birth control and education.”

Still, the abortion rate in the U.S. has remained stagnant over the last decade with 16 percent of women choosing to terminate a pregnancy, according to the CDC.

Emmert says that could soon change. And, it’s one of the reasons he’s happy with the Affordable Care Act that allows women access to birth control services with no co-pay.

“When you’re talking about an economy that’s struggling, and a family debating whether they’re going to have food left through the end of the month, or if Mom’s going to have her birth control pills—those are difficult decisions women are having to make everyday.”

Where they stand

Obviously a hot-button issue on the campaign trail, here’s where both presidential candidates stand on the issue of abortion.

Gov. Mitt Romney says he’s an opponent of any form of abortion—except in the case of rape, incest and the risk of the mother’s health. However, this was not always his stance. Gov. Romney ran as a pro-choice candidate for governor of Massachusetts. His current stance on abortion also differs with his party’s platform of anti-abortion no matter what the circumstances.

President Barack Obama believes abortion should be left up to the mother to decide and supports Roe v. Wade. He also remains committed to policies, initiatives and programs that help prevent unintended pregnancies.

Voters to decide in Tennessee

Tennessee voters will decide whether the state constitution protects abortion right. State House members approved a referendum in May for a resolution intended to nullify the 2000 Tennessee Supreme Court ruling. It will appear on the ballot in 2014.

The ballot resolution will say: “Nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of an abortion. The people retain the right through their elected state representatives and state senators to enact, amend, or repeal statutes regarding abortion, including, but not limited to, circumstances of pregnancy resulting from rape or incest or when necessary to save the life of the mother.”